Part 32 One Hundred Years and Growing
1953 was the year that Peoples Methodist Church celebrated 100 years since the church was built in Cape Ferry. A celebration was planned and the committee was made up of Mrs. John B. Tordoff, Mrs. Granville Nickerson, Henry A. Nelson, Mrs. George Robinson, Mrs. Walter Winchenbach, Mrs. Irvin Willey, and Harvey D. Woodbury. Some of the leaders of this celebration group were representing families that had been a part of the church for many years while others rather recently had joined the church. The celebration in that year was to be a Friday evening dinner. The pastor at the time of the celebration was Lawrence Porter who would be leaving the Peoples pastorate in this year and becoming the District Superintendent.
Members of the planning committee represented some interesting and varied backgrounds. Mr. Nelson was a tobacco company salesman, Mrs. Tordoff was married to a meatpacker, and Mrs. Nickerson’s husband worked for the Maine Central Railroad. Mrs. Robinson had been one of the first women to serve in the Maine legislature among a variety of other activities including the responsibility of developing the first welfare program to be found in South Portland. Mrs. Winchenbach’s husband had been one of the founders of the Portland Rubber Company. Mrs. Willey, a housewife and mother, like many of the other women on this panel was married to a very successful gasoline station operator. Mr. Woodbury, like his father before him, had served in the administration of the Maine Steel Company that was followed by the Portland Copper Works. We mention the backgrounds of members of such committees to show how the congregations’ membership had changed from primarily the farmers and fishermen that had originally come together one hundred years before to start the Cape Ferry church. Certainly a large percentage of the church membership had also worked in fish processing with several sardine canneries to be found along the shore on Front Street.
At the same time that the church was celebrating its 100th year since establishment at Cape Ferry it was also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Peoples Methodist Choir. Celebrating with a concert, the choir, under the direction of Mrs. Albert Tilton included Mrs. Emma Hamilton, Norman Jewett, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Winchenbach, and Mrs. John Woodbury. The resident organist was Dr. Malcolm Cass. Many more members of the choir participated in this event. Music has always played a significant role in the life of Peoples Church.
During the late 50’s, as mentioned in Part 18 a fund drive began to replace the old organ and to purchase the organ that graces the sanctuary today. Other elements of the fund drive at that time were to convert the parsonage next door to the church into an education building. Additionally since the parsonage was to be used for other purposes it was necessary to search for a new one. Eventually a home on Beverley Street, a few blocks distant from the church, was purchased and our pastors lived there until the 90-year-old home at 154 Mussey Street was purchased and the Beverley Street home was sold to the Douglas Greers who were members of the church.
At the time that the side stained glass windows in the sanctuary were dedicated the cost of placing the three windows in the back of the church was considered to be too much for the congregation to support. Since the mortgage was not paid off some of the conservative members of the church felt that the church should concentrate on reducing the existing debt before taking on any more. It wasn’t that the leadership wasn’t interested because the trustees were allowed to go ahead and find out what the cost of the three windows would be. Trustees and the church membership had been pleased with the stained glass work and installation of the story windows on either side of the sanctuary. Whittimore Associates of Boston, Massachusetts had also created the Rose window in the chancel. The trustees negotiated again with this company to create and eventually install the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension with proper symbolism at the base. After representatives from the company measured and on paper created the designs for each a letter in 1952 indicated that the cost would be $3500. It was actually another four years before the trustees felt that they could launch a memorial campaign that in time would pay for the windows. By that time and making sure that the windows would be double casement with double steel ventilators incorporated in the two side windows the trustees were ready to hear another cost figure. The new figure was $4150.00. An agreed to down payment of $1384.00 on the windows was made and the rest would be raised through contributions and paid annually over the next two years. Can you imagine the cost of such quality artwork today? Certainly those cautious handlers of funds in the 1950’s had found a way to provide long lasting beauty for years to come. More importantly their love of the Lord, Jesus Christ and his ever present Spirit remain with us and surround us every time we worship, pray and become Spirit-filled in this sanctuary.
The 1950’s was a busy time at Peoples. At the same time that the stained glass windows project was nearing completion the last payment on the church mortgage was made to the Division of National Missions of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church in the amount of $1318.17. Albert S. Adams who was the director of this Methodist Division wrote:
“ Please convey our best wishes and thanks to your church people for the fine
way this loan was cared for. I know it will be a day of gratification and rejoicing
when you celebrate this financial victory, and trust that it will lead to many such
victories both financial and spiritual in the future.”
Mr. Adams also said:
“ If you are planning a mortgage burning ceremony please do not burn the
original documents but some substitute. It would be well if the original
Mortgage Deeds be retained in the archives of your church, probably in your
safety deposit box.”
This certainly was fair warning for those that might have thought that the true burning of a mortgage meant the real deeds.
Dedications of a new church cannot be completed before a mortgage is fully paid off. The Dedication Ceremony of the church officially took place on February 2, 1958, which was just ten years and one month after the opening of the full church building. From the forward of the booklet prepared for that celebration:
“ Many things could be said about a book which is published at the time of the dedication of the church. The dedication time is a time of great rejoicing. It is a time of success. It is the culmination of years of hoping, praying, planning, building and responding to obligations. We are a privileged people as we come to participate in the dedication of The Peoples Methodist Church.”
And:
“As we see the work of Christ in the life of our church, may we, in faith and assurance, dedicate not only our church but our very lives to the service of the Master.”
These powerful words should be as important to us in 2005 as it was for the members of Peoples in 1958.
Significant leaders of the church were involved in the dedicatory service on Sunday, February 2, 1958 including Bishop John Wesley Lord, District Superintendent Lawrence D. Porter, Pastor of Peoples from 1949-53 and Reverend William Chamberlain, Minister of Peoples at that time. Later in Reverend Chamberlain’s career he would also serve as District Superintendent.
A Dedication Banquet had been held on the previous evening with the Reverend Travis Smith as guest speaker. On the evening of the second of February, a Family Fellowship was held with Box Lunch supper, informal hymn sing and a display of church mementos.
1953 was the year that Peoples Methodist Church celebrated 100 years since the church was built in Cape Ferry. A celebration was planned and the committee was made up of Mrs. John B. Tordoff, Mrs. Granville Nickerson, Henry A. Nelson, Mrs. George Robinson, Mrs. Walter Winchenbach, Mrs. Irvin Willey, and Harvey D. Woodbury. Some of the leaders of this celebration group were representing families that had been a part of the church for many years while others rather recently had joined the church. The celebration in that year was to be a Friday evening dinner. The pastor at the time of the celebration was Lawrence Porter who would be leaving the Peoples pastorate in this year and becoming the District Superintendent.
Members of the planning committee represented some interesting and varied backgrounds. Mr. Nelson was a tobacco company salesman, Mrs. Tordoff was married to a meatpacker, and Mrs. Nickerson’s husband worked for the Maine Central Railroad. Mrs. Robinson had been one of the first women to serve in the Maine legislature among a variety of other activities including the responsibility of developing the first welfare program to be found in South Portland. Mrs. Winchenbach’s husband had been one of the founders of the Portland Rubber Company. Mrs. Willey, a housewife and mother, like many of the other women on this panel was married to a very successful gasoline station operator. Mr. Woodbury, like his father before him, had served in the administration of the Maine Steel Company that was followed by the Portland Copper Works. We mention the backgrounds of members of such committees to show how the congregations’ membership had changed from primarily the farmers and fishermen that had originally come together one hundred years before to start the Cape Ferry church. Certainly a large percentage of the church membership had also worked in fish processing with several sardine canneries to be found along the shore on Front Street.
At the same time that the church was celebrating its 100th year since establishment at Cape Ferry it was also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Peoples Methodist Choir. Celebrating with a concert, the choir, under the direction of Mrs. Albert Tilton included Mrs. Emma Hamilton, Norman Jewett, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Winchenbach, and Mrs. John Woodbury. The resident organist was Dr. Malcolm Cass. Many more members of the choir participated in this event. Music has always played a significant role in the life of Peoples Church.
During the late 50’s, as mentioned in Part 18 a fund drive began to replace the old organ and to purchase the organ that graces the sanctuary today. Other elements of the fund drive at that time were to convert the parsonage next door to the church into an education building. Additionally since the parsonage was to be used for other purposes it was necessary to search for a new one. Eventually a home on Beverley Street, a few blocks distant from the church, was purchased and our pastors lived there until the 90-year-old home at 154 Mussey Street was purchased and the Beverley Street home was sold to the Douglas Greers who were members of the church.
At the time that the side stained glass windows in the sanctuary were dedicated the cost of placing the three windows in the back of the church was considered to be too much for the congregation to support. Since the mortgage was not paid off some of the conservative members of the church felt that the church should concentrate on reducing the existing debt before taking on any more. It wasn’t that the leadership wasn’t interested because the trustees were allowed to go ahead and find out what the cost of the three windows would be. Trustees and the church membership had been pleased with the stained glass work and installation of the story windows on either side of the sanctuary. Whittimore Associates of Boston, Massachusetts had also created the Rose window in the chancel. The trustees negotiated again with this company to create and eventually install the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension with proper symbolism at the base. After representatives from the company measured and on paper created the designs for each a letter in 1952 indicated that the cost would be $3500. It was actually another four years before the trustees felt that they could launch a memorial campaign that in time would pay for the windows. By that time and making sure that the windows would be double casement with double steel ventilators incorporated in the two side windows the trustees were ready to hear another cost figure. The new figure was $4150.00. An agreed to down payment of $1384.00 on the windows was made and the rest would be raised through contributions and paid annually over the next two years. Can you imagine the cost of such quality artwork today? Certainly those cautious handlers of funds in the 1950’s had found a way to provide long lasting beauty for years to come. More importantly their love of the Lord, Jesus Christ and his ever present Spirit remain with us and surround us every time we worship, pray and become Spirit-filled in this sanctuary.
The 1950’s was a busy time at Peoples. At the same time that the stained glass windows project was nearing completion the last payment on the church mortgage was made to the Division of National Missions of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church in the amount of $1318.17. Albert S. Adams who was the director of this Methodist Division wrote:
“ Please convey our best wishes and thanks to your church people for the fine
way this loan was cared for. I know it will be a day of gratification and rejoicing
when you celebrate this financial victory, and trust that it will lead to many such
victories both financial and spiritual in the future.”
Mr. Adams also said:
“ If you are planning a mortgage burning ceremony please do not burn the
original documents but some substitute. It would be well if the original
Mortgage Deeds be retained in the archives of your church, probably in your
safety deposit box.”
This certainly was fair warning for those that might have thought that the true burning of a mortgage meant the real deeds.
Dedications of a new church cannot be completed before a mortgage is fully paid off. The Dedication Ceremony of the church officially took place on February 2, 1958, which was just ten years and one month after the opening of the full church building. From the forward of the booklet prepared for that celebration:
“ Many things could be said about a book which is published at the time of the dedication of the church. The dedication time is a time of great rejoicing. It is a time of success. It is the culmination of years of hoping, praying, planning, building and responding to obligations. We are a privileged people as we come to participate in the dedication of The Peoples Methodist Church.”
And:
“As we see the work of Christ in the life of our church, may we, in faith and assurance, dedicate not only our church but our very lives to the service of the Master.”
These powerful words should be as important to us in 2005 as it was for the members of Peoples in 1958.
Significant leaders of the church were involved in the dedicatory service on Sunday, February 2, 1958 including Bishop John Wesley Lord, District Superintendent Lawrence D. Porter, Pastor of Peoples from 1949-53 and Reverend William Chamberlain, Minister of Peoples at that time. Later in Reverend Chamberlain’s career he would also serve as District Superintendent.
A Dedication Banquet had been held on the previous evening with the Reverend Travis Smith as guest speaker. On the evening of the second of February, a Family Fellowship was held with Box Lunch supper, informal hymn sing and a display of church mementos.
posted by Arthur Tordoff | 7:48 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home